1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to knee braces. More particularly, the invention relates to a contoured knee brace frame adapted for improved comfort and performance.
2. Description of the Related Art
The human knee generally comprises an articulating joint between the thigh and calf muscle groups that supports the weight of the body while a person is standing, walking or running. The joint is primarily held together by four small but strong ligaments, namely, the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments. The knee is a relatively weak joint and therefore knee injuries arising out of cartilage damage, ligament strain, and other causes are relatively commonplace. Knee injuries are particularly likely to occur during physical activities in which the knees are subjected to significant lateral loads. Among the numerous physical activities in which knee injuries can occur, skiing and motorcycle racing have proven to be particularly hazardous.
To help prevent knee injuries, various types of xe2x80x9cpreventivexe2x80x9d knee braces have been proposed to help support and reinforce the knee. Preventive knee braces generally include upper and lower rigid members that are connected together by a pair of mechanical hinges. The upper and lower rigid members are typically made of a hard plastic and are secured to the leg by a number of straps.
Although various types of preventive knee braces have been proposed, many of these knee braces are uncomfortable to wear during certain physical activities because the rigid upper member of the knee brace presses against the medial superior thigh region of the user""s leg. This discomfort detracts from the enjoyment of the activity and can adversely affect the user""s performance. Particular examples of activities wherein the upper rigid member may produce undesirable pressure along the medial superior thigh include motorcycle racing and horseback riding.
Furthermore, when worn on both legs, it has been found that many of the proposed knee braces are configured such that the upper rigid members of the left and right knee braces impact each other along the medial superior thigh region during certain activities. This is a significant shortcoming since contact between knee braces adversely affects the natural motion of the legs and also produces undesirable noise. Skiing is an activity in which this problem is particularly troublesome. The bumps and vibrations experienced while skiing cause the knee braces to impact each other on a continual basis. This problem is especially apparent while skiing at high speeds, such as during downhill racing, and can significantly impact the skier""s performance. Worse yet, in some cases, it has been found that the knee brace frames can actually catch on each other, thereby causing the skier to fall and possibly resulting in a serious injury.
In recent years, various attempts have been made to provide a knee brace with a reduced profile along the medial superior thigh region to help minimize these problems. However, none of the existing knee braces has been sufficient to achieve this goal while still providing adequate support and effectively preventing injuries to the four primary knee ligaments. Many of the proposed knee braces are configured with a relatively large clearance between the rigid frame and the leg around the knee joint. Because the rigid frame does not fit snugly onto the leg, the knee joint can move or bend in undesirable directions and can therefore damage the ligaments. Furthermore, the proposed knee braces have a relatively high profile and are therefore much more likely to catch or snag on a foreign object during physical activity.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved knee brace frame that is configured to reduce or eliminate the above shortcomings while still maintaining excellent stability and support of the knee joint. It is desirable that such a knee brace frame has no rigid structure along the medial superior thigh and is therefore comfortable to wear. It is also desirable that such a knee brace frame is configured such that it will not impact a knee brace worn on the opposite leg. It is also desirable that such a knee brace frame is constructed with a low profile such that it will not catch on a foreign object. It is also desirable that such a knee brace frame fits snugly onto the leg and has a very small clearance between the rigid frame and the leg to firmly control the motion of the knee joint. It is also desirable that such a knee brace frame is constructed of a durable material that is resistant to corrosion. Finally, to be practical, it is also desirable that such a knee brace frame is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and is aesthetically appealing. The present invention addresses these needs.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a new and improved knee brace that provides excellent support to the knee joint while being very comfortable to wear. In a significant feature of the present invention, the knee brace frame is contoured such that no rigid structure is located along the medial superior region of the thigh. As a result, the preferred embodiments of the present invention do not produce pressure along the inner thigh and do not interfere with an opposing knee brace or the natural motion of the leg.
The knee brace frame is generally characterized by upper and lower rigid members that are connected together by polycentric hinges located along the axis of the knee. In a preferred embodiment, the upper rigid member is formed as a single continuous piece that circumvents the medial superior thigh, yet can still be firmly attached to the thigh to provide excellent support and stability of the knee joint.
All the preferred embodiments of the present invention have tremendous structural integrity and can withstand the application of large forces over long periods of time. In addition, the preferred embodiments are easy to assemble and use many parts that are common to knee brace frames that are currently in existence.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the features of the invention.